CHES Ethics in Health Education 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A health educator learns that a community program is inadvertently reinforcing health disparities for a marginalized group. The most ethical response is to:
- Continue the program as designed
- Identify and address the inequity by modifying the program (Correct answer)
- Transfer responsibility to another educator
- Report only if the group files a complaint
Correct answer: Identify and address the inequity by modifying the program
Health educators have an ethical responsibility to actively identify and work to eliminate practices that perpetuate health disparities.
Question 2: When obtaining informed consent from research participants, health educators must ensure that:
- Consent is obtained only for high-risk studies
- Participants understand the purpose, risks, and right to withdraw (Correct answer)
- Consent forms are signed before any explanation is given
- Consent is implicit when participants attend a public program
Correct answer: Participants understand the purpose, risks, and right to withdraw
Informed consent requires participants to fully understand the study before agreeing, including their right to withdraw without penalty.
Question 3: A health educator discovers their program data shows no significant outcomes. Ethically, they should:
- Suppress the findings to protect future funding
- Report the findings accurately and use them to improve the program (Correct answer)
- Selectively report only positive trends
- Delay publication indefinitely
Correct answer: Report the findings accurately and use them to improve the program
Ethical reporting requires presenting findings accurately, whether positive or negative, to maintain scientific integrity.
Question 4: The concept of 'do no harm' in health education is most closely aligned with which ethical principle?
- Autonomy
- Justice
- Nonmaleficence (Correct answer)
- Fidelity
Correct answer: Nonmaleficence
Nonmaleficence means avoiding actions that cause harm, which is captured by the medical maxim 'do no harm.'
Question 5: A health educator working with a low-literacy population uses overly complex materials. This raises ethical concerns primarily related to:
- Competence and accessibility (Correct answer)
- Confidentiality
- Conflict of interest
- Fidelity
Correct answer: Competence and accessibility
Using materials inappropriate for the audience's literacy level reflects a lack of competence and creates accessibility barriers, violating ethical obligations.
Question 6: When a health educator has personal beliefs that conflict with a client's lifestyle choices, the ethical obligation is to:
- Decline to serve clients whose choices conflict with personal values
- Provide unbiased, client-centered education while maintaining professional boundaries (Correct answer)
- Attempt to change the client's lifestyle to align with best practices
- Share personal beliefs openly to promote authentic interaction
Correct answer: Provide unbiased, client-centered education while maintaining professional boundaries
Health educators must respect client autonomy and provide unbiased services regardless of personal beliefs or values.
Question 7: Which situation represents a dual relationship that would require ethical consideration for a CHES practitioner?
- Teaching health education to adults of different ages
- Being both a health educator and personal friend to a current client (Correct answer)
- Working in two different health education settings simultaneously
- Teaching multiple subject areas within health education
Correct answer: Being both a health educator and personal friend to a current client
A dual relationship occurs when a professional assumes more than one role with a client, which can compromise objectivity and professional boundaries.
CHES Ethics in Health Education 4
A health educator learns that a community program is inadvertently reinforcing health disparities for a marginalized group.
The most ethical response is to: